Save current working session

Generate .json file

Export data in asm (CA65) format

Optimize for loading in:
rows columns

Segment:

Store metatiles in separate tables for each sub-tile

Generate .s file

There are a few more tools to play around with, but I won't waste your time going through them. I'm sure you're smart enough to figure them all out. Hover the cursor above any button for a description of what it does.

Here are a few things to try out:

Use the coloring brush to change the palette of tiles you have already drawn.

Generate a bunch of 32x32 metatiles and draw using these.

Use the collision tool to indicate what effect each tile should have on your gameplay.

Save your current screen, and add new screens to your stage. Try enabling the preview of neighbouring screens.

Once you are done for now, you have a few options.

Click the export button to export your data as a CA65 assembly file to use in a program. Remember saving your current screen first!

If you close your browser, the session you were working on will automatically resume the next time you come back.
But if you wish to back up your current work, so you can return to it later or open it on another computer, you can also export your working session as a file using the export button.

Now that you have a (hopefully useful) tile set loaded, you can start drawing.

Click on a tile to use in the tileset above, and then click the large screen in the left side to place the tile where you want.

Try organizing four tiles together in a two-by-two square aligned to the grid to form a 16px "metatile".
These slightly larger metatiles form a basis for almost all games on a NES.

If nothing comes out when you try to draw, make sure you have loaded a proper tileset with only four colors, and that you have selected a tile.

None

Solid

Platform

Hazard

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Clear

Once you have created a few metatiles, you should load them into their own tileset.

When you are ready, click the "16x16" button.

Before you can use 16x16 metatiles, you need to generate them from the currently used tiles on your screen.
Click the refresh button to refresh your current metatil eset.

8x8

16x16

32x32

Drop image here to load tileset!

Now you are ready to use your freshly baked 16x16 metatiles to draw faster and more effeciently!
Just click on the one you want to use, and draw like you did with the original 8x8 tiles.

Reusing metatiles is not only helpful, but also important in limiting the storage space used by your level data.

Also keep in mind that color palettes ("attributes") are bound the same grid of 16x16 squares, so each of these metatiles can not show more than 4 different colors at the same time.
Try clicking on a palette below the screen before drawing to choose what colors your metatiles will appear in. These palettes can also be edited by clicking on an individual color index.

Load tileset...

Hello, and welcome to my level editor.
This is still work in progress, so please bear with me for now!

First order of business before you can draw anything, is to load an image into your tile data.
Just drag an image file into the 16x16 tiles area on the right side of the screen, or click this button and find a file on your hard drive.

Any image will do, but ideally it should represent your NES CHR-ROM block. That's a 128x128px image partitioned into 256 individual 8x8px tiles.
Most importantly, the image should not use more than 4 different colors, and for ease of use, I recommend leaving a completely black tile int the top left corner.

For now though, the image will only be used for reference within this editor, and the only data that is exported is the metatile and stage data.

hide this guide

OK

Drag an image file to the tileset above, or use the button below to locate a file.
The image should ideally be 128x128 px and 4 colors - excess data will be ignored.